July 2012

This year has proven to be somewhat of a difficult year for gold, as this precious metal has struggled to maintain its footing amidst global economic uncertainty. It seems as though eurozone turmoil and a disappointingly slow road to recovery for the United States has become commonplace in today’s market. Nearly everyday, investors are bombarded with headlines from around the globe, shedding light on the latest sour economic reports and the fragility of the global financial market. Although gold is often coveted as a safe haven investment during hard times, the precious metal seems to have lost its way so far in 2012 [see also Were Gold and Silver Manipulated Alongside LIBOR?]. [click to continue…]

After a strong finish last week, equity markets got off to a quiet start as investors were reluctant to jump in long ahead of this week’s central bank meetings. With the FOMC slated to meet on Wednesday and the European Central Bank rate decision taking place on Thursday, it’s not much of a surprise to see low-volume profit taking as investors position themselves defensively in anticipation of volatility. The U.S. employment report due out on Friday will also come into focus as investors look for signs that the domestic recovery is still chugging along [see also ETF Insider: Momentum Hinges On ECB Hopes].

After closing on a strong note last week, U.S. equities fumbled today as investors turned wary of the recent push in financial stimulus from the Euro Zone. As it has been the trend, markets once again started to doubt whether or not the U.S. will step in to to boost the fragile domestic economy and […]

After enduring another choppy trading week, markets blasted off higher to end the week on a positive note, as investors’ reacted with great optimism that European lawmakers would step up and ensure stability in the financially fragile currency bloc overseas. Earnings at home remain a mixed bag, while housing market data has also turned from […]

ETFs have made their way into countless portfolios as investors of all walks have embraced the cost-efficient nature of these vehicles. Innovation in the exchange-traded universe has brought countless strategies and previously difficult-to-reach asset classes at the fingertips of mainstream investors. Despite the numerous advantages offered through the ETF wrapper, many professional money managers and […]

Huntington, fresh off its initial foray into the ETF industry in June, has doubled the size of its lineup with the launch of an actively managed ETF that will implement a sector rotation strategy. The new U.S. Equity Rotation Strategy ETF (HUSE) will invest in U.S. that are included in the S&P Composite 1500, with the […]

U.S. equities were in for a wild ride last week, as several corporate earnings disappointments were overshadowed by ECB President Draghi’s announcement, expressing the central banks commitment to do whatever it takes to bolster the troubled eurozone region. Although Fed Chairman Bernanke gave no hints at the possibility of the elusive QE3 coming to fruition soon, investors […]

After a whirlwind of a week on Wall Street, the ETFdb pop quiz returns with another round of questions about gold, grains, and Facebook. As always all answers can be found using the suite of free tools at ETFdb.com, including the ETFdb Categories and ETF screener. 1. Which Gold ETF has the highest 1 week return? 2. Which Poland ETF has […]

Equity markets took investors for a roller-coaster ride last week as ongoing threats from the eurozone collided with mixed economic data releases on the homefront. Rising yields on government bonds overseas prompted ECB president Mario Draghi to make a statement reassuring investors that lawmakers would do whatever it takes to ensure the financial stability, and unity, of the debt […]

European Central Bank President Mario Draghi took the spotlight once again today, as investors cheered on the ECB’s commitment to shore up the troubled Euro Zone region. According to news reports, Draghi is scheduled to meet with the head of Germany’s Bundesbank sometime in the next few days to discuss a more aggressive stimulus package, which could […]

Some are calling it the banking industry’s “tobacco moment,” while others insist that it is only one example of the widespread and rampant problems plaguing the financial universe. Greed, corruption and collusion are terms often used synonymously with the market movers and money makers on Wall Street, whose voracious appetites seem to blur the lines […]

Equity markets endured another turbulent trading week as lackluster earnings reports at home along with looming debt drama in the overseas currency bloc continue to plague investors’ confidence. Economic data releases remain mixed on Wall Street, further adding to the growing clouds of uncertainty; new home sales and pending home sales data both missed the mark, while […]